


The School for Good and Evil

by Insomnia_Productions



Category: Assassination Classroom, The School for Good and Evil - Soman Chainani
Genre: Actually you can probably expect karunagi in future chapters because I'm a sucker for this ship, I flipping love both of these series, I haven't decided yet, Karma/Nagisa maybe, The School for Good and Evil is my ideal school
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2018-04-15 00:28:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4586082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insomnia_Productions/pseuds/Insomnia_Productions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karma and Nagisa are just two ordinary boys in an ordinary village... until they are chosen by the School Master to join the School for Good and Evil.<br/>The first two chapters are actual consecutive events, but the rest will be a collection of one-shots about their lives in the School. </p><p>Note: The School for Good and Evil is an amazing trilogy by Soman Chainani, and if you haven't read it, you absolutely must, because it is //amazing//. Obviously, Pollux and Castor and Uma and whoever else I use in this story belong to him, as well as the School itself and all its lessons. </p><p>Other note because I just realized that this will show up in the School fandom as well: Assassination Classroom is an awesome, ongoing anime and manga series, and Karma and Nagisa are amazing and totally OTP and brOTP at the same time so if you haven't watched/read it you absolutely must.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Selection Time

The air was still and calm, its placidity interrupted only by the occasional cool breeze. Light gray clouds swamped the sky, darkening, but not yet dark enough to make rain. Ice was just starting to form along the roofs of the rows of identical houses the stretched through the village. Aside from the quiet murmuring of hellos and goodbyes, the village was relatively quiet, the loudest sounds coming from the pebbles that were kicked across the road as anxious children let out their frustration on the rocks littering the pavement.  
  
And then the doors to the bookstore opened, and all hell broke loose.  
  
Children and adults alike flooded the store, arms reaching through the throng to snatch up stray copies of the new fairytale. The bookkeeper, having given up years ago, simply rushed to the back and hid under his secretary’s desk, waiting for the crows to dissipate.  
  
Amongst the horde was a somewhat small boy with eyes as blue as the sky, and hair as blue as his eyes, long hair that was tied rather girlishly on either side of his head.  
  
“Sorry, ‘scuse me, coming through!” He darted between the straining bodies, nimbly ducking the swinging limbs, and slipped right through the mob, arriving at the table where all the books were laid out. Quick and lightning, he snatched up a copy before he was swallowed by the crowd once again. Backing out of the store, he rushed through the town, towards the lake on the outskirts of the village. Under a tree at its shore stood a tall figure, facing away from the village, patiently waiting.  
  
“Karma!” Shiota Nagisa collapsed at his friend’s feet, weakly holding up the book. Akabane Karma took it from him and scanned the cover.  
  
“ _Rapunzel_ , huh?” He sat down, leaning against the tree. “Nope, not one of ours.”  
  
Nagisa didn’t move, and Karma poked his side with a long stick. “Nagisa? Are you dead?”  
  
“Yes,” Nagisa replied weakly, pushing himself up and moving to sit next to Karma. “Next time, why don’t _you_ get it?”  
  
Karma laughed, looking out over the lake. “Last time I did, three children and four adults wound up but broken noses.”  
  
Nagisa sighed. “You’re hopeless.”  
  
“Mm, maybe.” Karma flipped open the book. “In any case, let’s read, shall we?”  
  
This was it, the glue that had kept the two of them together all these years. The fairytales that both of them loved so much, not for the excitement at recognizing people they knew, nor the reassurance that Good would always win, but for the thrill of reading about the wonders that lay beyond their village. The magic, the danger, the princes and princesses, and the assortment of villains to fight… ever since they were children, the two had dreamed of exploring the Woods Beyond, battling fierce adversaries and rescuing radiant princesses from dragons. Not that either of them had any wish to keep the princesses--nah, they’d rescue them, return them home, and then continue on their way, just the two of them, same as always. Karma, of course, would take the lead, scaring off all the villains that dared to cross their path. Nagisa would linger in the shadows behind him, so that if any villain _dared_ to fight them, Karma would distract them with his taunting and his swift, fierce attacks, while Nagisa did what he does best; slipping under the radar and attacking from behind when the enemy least expected it.  
  
That was just how they operated; Karma was good and scaring people away without any real intention of hurting them, not unless they were bullying the weaker children in the village. Nagisa, on the other hand, seemed a gentle as a little blue puppy, but there was a darkness inside him and he could bring out at will, a darkness that scared people more than Karma’s teasing provocations ever did, a darkness that frightened even Karma. Not that he’d ever say this to Nagisa; despite Nagisa’s hidden bloodlust and eerily fine-tuned assassination skills, he seemed to look to Karma as his protector, and Karma wasn’t about to change that.  
  
It had started a several years ago, when they’d first become friends. The two had bonded over a new fairytale, one the other villagers didn’t like so much for the victory of the villain. The two of them, however, had been blown away by the ease and skill with which this new, confident villain had seized power. Her magic, her fighting skills, her cunning plans… at six years old, Karma and Nagisa had wanted nothing more than to be just like her. Scorned by their peers, they’d found each other and quickly formed a strong bond. Almost a week later, Karma had come to Nagisa’s house to pick him up and had been greeted by his blue-haired friend… crying, and wearing a dress.  
  
Karma had given Nagisa’s mother _hell_ from that day forth, after rushing Nagisa back to his house and donating half his wardrobe to him. Nagisa was glad he’d done it then, when they were the same height. After that day, Karma had become his… well, to say he was his knight in shining armor might be a little much. After all, regardless of how kind Karma could be to Nagisa, he still took great pleasure in antagonizing him like a bored imp every waking moment they spent together.  
  
Which was every waking moment they spent _at all_ , and sometimes even the _non_ -waking moments, because regardless of knights and imps, Karma and Nagisa were inseparable, linked by some invisible thread that could be severed by nothing and nobody.  
  
Nagisa rested his head on Karma’s shoulder, gazing at the setting sun’s reflection in the azure lake. “They’re coming tonight.”  
  
“I know.” Nagisa didn’t miss the undertone of excitement in his best friend’s voice.  
  
“Shouldn’t we go home?”  
  
Karma shrugged, and Nagisa’s head bobbed up and down. “No point. If they want us, hiding won’t do any good. If they don’t, we’re fine anyway.” He sounded hopeful.  
  
“You never give up, do you?”  
  
“Nope.” Karma’s eyes sparkled. “I think… I think tonight is going to different. I can feel it.”  
  
“You feel it every year,” mumbled Nagisa, already half asleep. Between anticipating the latest story, braving the crowd, and stressing about who would be chosen this year, he was utterly drained.  
  
“Yes, but this time I’m _certain_ of it. It’s gonna be us this time. You’ll see.”  
  
But Nagisa couldn’t see anything; he was already asleep. Resting his head on Nagisa’s, Karma watched the sunset, and soon joined his friend in slumber.  
  
Around them, the world darkened, and as the moon glowed like a pearl within an oil spill, a skeletal creature slunk out of the shadows. A colossal bird, made entirely of bones. It crept towards the sleeping pair, its bones rattling in the wind.  
  
Karma’s golden eyes opened.  
  
He gently shook Nagisa, and the bluenette woke, rubbing his eyes and yawning. “Wha-”  
  
_“It’s here.”_  
  
Nagisa’s eyes shot open, taking in the bird.  
  
Karma reached out, running a hand along its skull. “Are you here for us?”  
  
The bird squawked, and Karma lit up.  
  
“Finally.”  
  
He poked his friend. “Come on. I told you tonight was the night. Let’s go.”  
  
Standing, he pulled Nagisa to his feet and clambered onto the bird. Nagisa lingered at its side, glancing back at the village.  
  
“I… I don’t know.”  
  
Karma rolled his eyes. “Honestly, Nagisa, we don’t exactly have a choice.” His eyes took on a mischievous glint that Nagisa knew couldn’t be argued with. “Come on. It’ll be like we always wanted. You and me, exploring the Woods Beyond. Don’t you want that?” He stretched out a hand.  
  
Nagisa faltered. In the village, what awaited him? A mother who wanted him to be something he wasn’t, boring villagers with no vision for the future, and a bland, mundane life of normalcy.  
  
On the other hand, here was Karma, his lifelong best friend, sitting atop a bird made of bones, his eyes glittering and his cheeks as red as his hair, full of life, just waiting for him to join in his adventure.  
  
Nagisa took his friend’s hand and climbed aboard the bird, letting out a primal scream and throwing his arms around Karma as the creature leapt into the air. Karma, for his part, was thoroughly enjoying the ride, laughing as the cold wind whipped past.  
  
“Nagisa, look, look at the forest!” He laughed, pointing downwards. Nagisa refused to look down, so instead he fixed his eyes on Karma, who was grinning like a madman, looking more alive that Nagisa had ever seen him.  
  
Behind them, their provincial village grew farther and farther away.  
  
Neither looked back.


	2. Ceremony Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After arriving at the School, it's time for the opening ceremony, where Evers and Nevers alike are allowed to see each other and learn a little about their curriculum.

Karma fidgeted in his new uniform. It was pale blue and stifling, and ridiculously complicated. His beige pants were already filthy from being pushed into the dirt by over-enthusiastic teenage boys rushing to the ceremony hall, his navy boots were tight, and his waistcoat-- _waistcoat_ , for crying out loud--had taken him half an hour to put on. Arriving early at the empty hall, the other Everboys had immediately pulled out their swords, and were currently engaged in a testosterone-fueled swordfight. They seemed wholly absorbed in their duels, but Karma caught a few glancing at the door every so often, just waiting for the Evergirls to arrive and be blown away by their skills. Although what girls found so amazing about sweat and muscle, Karma didn’t know. As for himself, he had found a quiet corner away from the throng, and was carefully scrutinizing the boys he’d be spending the next four years with. After twenty minutes of careful scrutiny, he had come to conclusion that he wanted nothing to do with any of them. No, what he wanted right now was Nagisa.  
  
Like the other boys, Karma too had been casting apprehensive glances at the doors, but he had been looking towards a different door. The Nevers’ door.  
  
When the bird--someone had told him they were called stymphs--had dropped him in the School for Good and Nagisa in the School for Evil, both friends had been confused. But, lying in bed later that night, kept up by his roommate’s snoring, Karma had realized that maybe this placement was right. Although Karma was the combative one, smashing bottles over the heads of anyone who made fun of Nagisa’s feminine appearance, sometimes it was Karma himself who was the subject of the villagers’ taunts. On those occasions, Nagisa would step forward, eyes darkening, voice dropping the depths no one could confuse with a girl’s. Those were the days when even Karma was chilled by Nagisa’s hidden bloodlust. It seemed fitting, somehow, that Nagisa would become a Never, while he became an Ever.  
  
Of course, that in no way meant that Karma wouldn’t be stealing Nagisa’s meticulous notes and using the hexes described in them to prank his mulish classmates.  
  
But, Karma thought, annoyed, he couldn’t steal Nagisa’s notes if Nagisa himself didn’t show up.  
  
Just when Karma was ready to search the Evil school himself, the black, decaying doors opened, and a flood of Nevers poured into the pews, dressed in baggy black uniforms. Hideous clothing, really, but Karma was more than happy to swap. And then, trailing nervously behind his classmates, Karma spotted a flash of blue hair. Their eyes locked, and Nagisa let out a relieved sigh, hurrying to snag a seat as near to Karma’s as possible. Like Karma, he had quickly come to conclusion that, as strange as it seemed, they were in the right schools. After all, while Karma seemed belligerent and detached, and sometimes actually was, Nagisa knew that he was also fiercely loyal and cared an awful lot more than he let on. Paired with his wickedly sharp mind and personal motto of actions-before-words, Nagisa was sure he’d grow to be a fine Ever.  
  
As for himself… well, that was a fun question.  
  
Nagisa’s budding existential crisis was interrupted when a massive, two-headed dog prowled onto the stage. One was ridiculously cute and fuzzy, its gender just as indiscernible as Nagisa’s. The other was clearly male, with matted fur and red eyes.  
  
“Welcome,” the cute head announced, “to the School for Good and Evil. My name is Pollux-”  
  
“AND I AM CASTOR. WELCOMING LEADER SECOND-IN-COMMAND, AND THE GO-TO MAN IF ANY OF YOU NITWITS SCREWS UP BADLY ENOUGH TO DESERVE PUNISHMENT, WHICH I CAN ASSURE YOU WILL HAPPEN TO ALL OF YOU IF I HAVE ANY SAY IN THE MATTER.” Castor boomed.  
  
Pollux flinched. “...Yes. Now, I am sure you all know why you are here. Souls, as you are aware, can either be fundamentally Good or Evil. Some souls are more pure than others, and at this school our job is to make all of yours souls as pure as possible; be it Pure Good, or Pure Evil.”  
  
“AND YOU CAN’T BE BOTH, SO DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT SNEAKING OFF TO EACH OTHER’S SCHOOLS. YOU THINK WE DON’T NOTICE, BUT WE DO,” warned Castor.  
  
Karma scoffed. Who would ever want to cross over to _his_ school?  
  
And he was perfectly right; as soon as the words were out of Castor’s frothing mouth, the Nevers had begun screaming “Never!”, which quickly evolved into a chant.  
  
“NEVERS! NEVERS! NEVERS!”  
  
Their screams were countered by the Evers, hollering, “EVERS! EVERS! EVERS!”  
  
Both sides shut up rather quickly when the Evers were doused in brown water and the Nevers in pink glitter.  
  
“Well then, I see house spirit will not be a problem. As I was saying, at this school you will learn to be the best Heroes and Villains you can be, as long as you cooperate with the following rules…”  
  
Right there, Nagisa glanced across the aisle at Karma, smiling knowingly when he saw that Karma was, as expected, rolling his eyes and preparing to tune out, just as he always did when the r-word was mentioned. Nagisa took out his pocket notebook and pencil. Even if his friend didn’t paid attention, he would undoubtedly find Nagisa later to ask for notes, just as he always did.  
  
Be it back in their mundane village, or here, in a school full of magic, some things never changed.  
  
But forty minutes later, even the attentive Nagisa was half-asleep, relying on autopilot to get notes down for Karma.  
  
At long last, Pollux moved on, and Nagisa watched with the same fascination as when and Karma had been just classmates, rather than friends, as the redhead’s golden eyes slowly came into focus, shifting from dull and unfocused to sharp and glinting.  
  
Maybe _that_ was what Nagisa liked best about his friend. Nagisa had asked Karma, a few months ago, what he liked best about him. Karma said that his favorite thing about Nagisa was the strange, disarming aura he carried; Karma could be carefree and relaxed around him, for reasons unknown.  
  
Inevitably, Karma had asked for Nagisa’s answer, and Nagisa hadn’t been sure what to say. Karma told him to sleep on it, and get back to him when he knew.  
  
Nagisa had been trying to find a answer for months, but he just couldn’t pick.  
  
Karma’s ever-changing eyes were always interesting to Nagisa, but he also admired his friend’s quick wit and devil-may-care outlook on life. His laughter always brightened Nagisa’s day, but maybe the best thing about Karma was how quick he was to defend his friend, and how he always knew exactly how to cheer him up when he was feeling down.  
  
“...SO I HOPE YOU’RE PAYING ATTENTION!”  
  
As Castor’s snarl filled the room, Nagisa snapped back into the present, realizing he’d been staring at Karma, who was staring right back with a mixture of confusion and mischief playing across his face.  
  
Nagisa blushed and turned his attention back to the dog.  
  
“Your first year will be centered around three important events. The first will be the Trials by Tale, followed by the Circus of Talents, and the Snow Ball. The Ball, of course, is only for Evers.”  
  
Nagisa deflated a little. He would have loved to spend the ball with Karma, knowing that the other boy would likely spend the entire time slipping uglification potions into the Evers’ drinks and making fun of all the Evergirls’ frilly dresses and attempts to flirt with him.  
  
He’d done the same thing back at the village dances, although back then the dresses were simpler, and the pranks sadly unaided by magic.  
  
And now, when Karma’s pranking abilities would finally be up to speed with his ever-buzzing mind, Nagisa wouldn’t even be there to see it.  
  
“After your first year, you will be divided into the following categories: Leader, Follower or Henchman, and Mogrifs. Mogrifs, for those of you who don’t know, are students who will undergo a transformation into plants or animals and serve their Leader in that form.”  
  
Nagisa and Karma locked eyes, and Karma smirked. Nagisa could just see images of himself as a kitten, or perhaps a shrub, flitting through Karma’s mind. And as for his friend… Nagisa had never realized it before, but suddenly he could quite easily envision Karma as a cute little red fox.  
  
“During your second and third years, you will be trained specifically to your rank. And, in your final year, you will be paired together with someone from each other rank, and move into the Woods Beyond to begin your fairytales.”  
  
_The Woods Beyond._  
  
From then on, Nagisa was just as spaced out as his friend, daydreaming about the his fairytale with Karma, out exploring the mysterious Woods Beyond.


	3. Wish Fish Time: First Period

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is Karma's soul's greatest wish?

Karma eyed the white fish dubiously, arms crossed. “So… these things are gonna show me my heart’s greatest desire?”  
  
“Oh, yes,” Princess Uma gushed, smiling at her fish. “I would think you’d have realized that after watching all your classmates go.”  
  
Karma scoffed, turning to his classmates. “The fish just painted _girls_ for all of them. That can’t possibly be all there is, right?”  
  
Twenty stony eyes glared right back at him, and Karma blanched. “You can’t be serious.”  
  
“Well why don’t you try?” Uma coaxed.  
  
“Yeah,” agreed a sneering Everboy in the back. Karma recognized him as Terasaka Something-or-Other. “If you really think your heart is _different_ , go ahead and prove it.”  
  
“All right.” Karma knelt by the pond and dipped his right hand into the water, resisting the urge to yank it back out when the slippery creatures swarmed around it.  
  
Uma and the boys gathered around him, watching in anticipation as the fish turned red, then black, then gold. Karma watched with interest, curious to see where this was going. He himself wasn’t entirely sure what his soul’s greatest wish was.  
  
The fish began to shake, flitting between all the colors of the rainbow and more.  
  
Princess Uma sighed. “Ah, dear boy, you have a foggy mind.”  
  
Karma gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at the fish.  
  
_Don’t you dare make me look like an idiot in front of this lot._  
  
Suddenly, the fish went stark white. And then, slowly, they began to turn dark green. Some remained green, while others shifted into brown. Others still were multicolored, featuring splashes of gold, orange, and silver. They weren’t just making a person or an object… they were crafting a scene.  
  
And then, amidst the swirling colors, Karma spotted two unmistakeable splotches of red and blue.  
  
Behind him, Everboys drew back, and Uma let out a quiet, “Oh, my.”  
  
Karma sat back, taking in the scene playing across the Wish Fish.  
  
The Fish depicted the Woods Beyond, dark and formidable, with exotic plants hanging from branches or reaching up from the ground. Shadows lurked behind every tree, shadows of indiscernible shapes, with jagged teeth and claws sharper than knives.  
  
But all those shadows were held at bay by the light of a lantern, held up by none other than Shiota Nagisa. Nagisa’s other hand was half-hidden, gripped tightly by Karma’s as he pulled him forward, pointing off to the side with a hand that glowed with magic.  
  
_Of course._  
  
Karma’s greatest wish, all he had ever really wanted… to be out of their dull little village, exploring the Woods Beyond with all the magic in the world in his grasp and his best friend by his side.  
  
Karma smiled. Word of this, of course, would quickly spread, and he couldn’t wait to see Nagisa’s face when he heard.  
  
Behind him, Tersaka snickered.  
  
“Dude,” he laughed. “That is _so_ gay.”


	4. Hex Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Never call Shiota Nagisa a girl

Shiota Nagisa hurried out of the classroom, eager to get to the lunch hall as quickly as possible. He’d just learnt the most _amazing_ hex, and just knew Karma would want to hear about it. Just the other day, his friend had come to him, complaining about how much he hated the stuck-up Everboys, and how he just wished he knew a good uglification spell to cast on them.  
  
Well, today he would have his chance…  
  
“Oi, Nagisa!”  
  
Nagisa turned to see a Nevergirl with blond hair and blue eyes rushing over to him.  
  
_Naka...Nakamura Rio, was it?_  
  
“Hello, Nakamura,” Nagisa said amiably, slowing ever so slightly.  
  
Nakamura grinned wickedly, eyes flashing. Despite being a Never, she was quite stunning, and took great pride in it. She prefered to use her uglification spells against others, rather than using them to enhance her own villainous appearance.  
  
“I was just wondering, Nagisa, why you wear the boys’ uniform.”  
  
Nagisa blinked. “I…”  
  
“I mean, I get it, if you like crossdressing… that’s your life, I won’t interfere. But still…”  
  
Nagisa stopped walking entirely and scowled fiercely. “Nakamura Rio, I am _not_ a _girl_.”  
  
Nakamura gaped. “Wait, seriously? You’re a… boy?”  
  
“ _Yes_ ,” Nagisa hissed, brushing right by her and stalking off in the most girlish way possible.  
  
“Ah, Karma~” Arriving at the lunch hall, he relaxed, spotting Karma waiting for him.  
  
He started forward, catching his friend’s eye, reaching into his bag for his notes--  
  
Nagisa stopped, feeling a hand grip his shoulder. He spun, coming face-to-face with a tall Everboy.  
  
“Um… Nagisa, right? You’re, like, that weirdo Karma’s girlfriend or something, right? Why’re you wearing a boy’s uniform, though?”  
  
Nagisa looked at him for a long moment.  
  
And then he raised his right hand, pinkie glowing a vibrant blue, and hexed the Everboy in the face.  
  
The he turned on his heel and walked towards Karma, who was smiling amusedly as the offending Everboy stumbled around, clutching his once-flawless face, which was quickly sprouting a collection of warts Snow White’s witch would be proud of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at endings ;-;


	5. Karma vs Beautification

“But you know I don’t need it, right?”  
  
Professor Irina Jelavic, fondly nicknamed Professor Bitch, sighed delicately, clasping her hands on her silk-covered lap. Her dress was, in Karma’s humble opinion, the most ridiculous thing to ever happen to mankind. It was bright purple, for starters, with lacy blue frills, and at _least_ seven layers.  
  
“Karma, I _do_ appreciate your self-confidence, and I _must_ admit that you have a point, but the fact remains that your looks _will not_ hold out forever. Someday, you will _need_ these spells.”  
  
Karma tilted his chair back, his spellbook balanced on his face, and groaned. “But _why_ will I need them?”  
  
“Because,” Irina explained patiently, “one day, you will need to replenish your looks.”  
  
Karma lifted the book up ever so slightly, allowing one eye to peek out from under it. “ _Why_ , though?”  
  
Irina huffed. “Karma, I don’t know what you think princesses are like, but I can _assure_ you that they will _not_ settle for anything less than perfection. And they will need assurance that whatever perfection you may currently possess will _hold out_ forever.”  
  
Karma tipped his chair back onto the ground, placing the book on his desk and raising an eyebrow at his teacher. “Fair enough, but what makes you think I _want_ a princess?”  
“B-but…” Irina sputtered, looking stricken. “That’s the whole point of being an Everboy! Marrying a princess, defeating a villain, and living happily ever after as King and Queen. Surely you’ve read the fairy tales?”  
  
Karma shrugged. “Don’t care. I don’t want a princess, I don’t want to get married, and I certainly don’t want to be a _king_.”  
  
Irina collapsed into her chair, gazing weakly up at her student. “Then,” she whispered, "what _do_ you want?”  
  
From the back, someone snickered. “He wants his hella gay fairy tale in the Woods Beyond with that Neverboy who looks like a girl.”  
  
At this, the classroom was quickly in uproar, and Irina stood, trying in vain to calm the laughing Everboys.  
  
When at last the room was silent, Karma smirked at the boy in the back. “Yeah. That sounds about right.”  
  
Then he stood, picked up his book, and walked out of the classroom.  
  
Twenty stunned Everboys gaped after him and, in her seat, Irina Jelavic brightened a little and straightened up.  
  
“Well,” she declared. “If he wants a _Never_ to fall for him, and a _boy_ at that, he’ll just need my lessons even _more_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised myself I wouldn't make this a KaruNagi fic, but...


	6. Mogrification Time

“But _how_?”  
  
Nagisa sighed in exasperation, resisting the urge to hit his friend on the head with the spellbook on the floor between them. They had agreed to spend to afternoon trading spells, but when Nagisa brought up the topic of mogrification, certain… _difficulties_... arose.  
  
“It’s _simple_ ,” he said, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice. “Just imagine the animal in your head.”  
  
Karma tipped backwards, sprawling out on the floor, eyes tracking the cracks in the ceiling.  
  
“Sure, but how do you make yourself turn _into_ that animal?”  
  
“ _I_ don’t know!” Nagisa grumbled. “You just sort of… _do_.”  
  
Karma sat up and smiled suspiciously sweetly at him. “Nagisa?”  
  
“Yeah?” Nagisa asked warily.  
  
The smile widened. “Could you show me again?”  
  
Nagisa hit him on the head with the spellbook.  
  
“Ow!” Karma complained. “Come on, I just want to _learn_! Don’t you encourage that?”  
  
“Yes,” Nagisa huffed. “Except when I have to demonstrate _for the fourth time this afternoon_ -”  
  
“Pfft, I’ve been through worse for your sake.”  
  
Nagisa had serious doubts about that statement, but sighed in defeat.  
  
“Whatever. There’s no point arguing with you.”  
  
Karma smirked. “I know.”  
  
Nagisa stood and closed his eyes, pinkie blazing cerulean. A moment later, his clothes crumpled to the floor, and a sleek blue viper slithered out from under them.  
  
“There,” Nagisa hissed. “Happy?”  
  
“Very.”  
  
“Okay, I’m going to change back, then.” Nagisa slithered behind the couch and curled up, picturing his human self as the world turned blue.  
  
Human again, Nagisa crouched behind the furniture. “Could you pass my clothes, Karma?”  
  
Silence.  
  
“...Karma?”  
  
When no response came, Nagisa peered over the top of the couch and gasped.  
  
Standing by the window, a bundle of clothes in its mouth, was a strangely handsome red fox with glittering golden eyes.  
  
_“No.”_  
  
The fox just seemed to smile, tail swishing through the air.  
  
And then it hopped out of the window, taking every article of clothing in the room with it.  
  
“ _Karma!_ ” Nagisa didn’t know how Karma had figured out how to mogrify so quickly, or what he had done to deserve this. All he knew was that his friend was gone, with both his clothes and Nagisa’s, leaving the bluenette alone in the room, incapable of leaving.  
  
Worse, still, there was no one he could call for help. Any Nevers who found him now would only laugh and call others, and soon he would be the laughingstock of both Schools.  
  
He curled up with his back to the couch, staring at the wall. Nagisa had never believed in God, but now he prayed with all his soul that no one would find him.  
  
Shadows passed on the walls, which grew darker as the afternoon turned into evening. Nagisa remained where he was, staring at the cracks in the wall until his eyes blurred. Which, of course, was only happening because he’d been staring at one thing for so long. It had nothing to do with his predicament, nothing at all.  
  
It certainly had nothing to do with the fact that _Karma_ was the reason he was in this mess. Karma, who he would trust with his life. But then, what had he expected, really? Karma had pranks in his _blood_.  
  
But still… to leave him alone like this for so long…  
  
Nagisa curled up tighter.  
  
He was just beginning to wonder if he’d have to stay here all night when a loud crash came from the window, accompanied by a heavy thud as something hit the floor. Nagisa froze, hardly daring to breathe.  
  
_Please, please not Nakamura. Anyone but her._  
  
There was a flash of red from behind him, and then a whole cacophony of thuds and bumps and someone fumbled around.  
  
“...Nagisa?”  
  
Nagisa slumped, relieved and furious at once. Relief won over, and he knocked on the back of the couch. “Here.”  
  
Seconds later, his clothes were tossed onto his head, and he gratefully pulled them on, promising himself not to mogrify for another week at least.  
  
He emerged from behind the couch to see Karma watching him. He expected to see triumph in his eyes, or just plain mischief, but instead he saw only guilt.  
  
“I’m really sorry, ‘Gisa. I was going to come back, I swear, but the wolves found me and… well, they don’t really like foxes.” He waved his arms, which were covered in scratches. “They scattered our clothes everywhere, and it took me ages to gather them all together once they left…”  
  
Nagisa squinted dubiously at him, and Karma shot him an imploring look.  
  
“It’s the truth, I swear. Come on, you know I wouldn’t ever purposely leave you like that for so long.”  
  
Nagisa shrugged. “S’okay. I know you wouldn’t.” He decided to keep the part where he _absolutely thought Karma would_ to himself. “Are you okay, though? Those cuts looks bad.”  
  
“Nah, I’ll be fine.” He paused, looking thoughtful. “I suppose it’s my bad karma, huh?”  
  
Nagisa smiled. “Yeah, sure. And _you_ are _my_ bad karma.”  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
“You know-” Karma began with a smirk, eyes glinting.  
  
“Heard it as soon as I said it,” Nagisa cut in, fighting to hold back his own grin.  
  
Karma slipped an arm around his shoulders. “It _is_ true, though.”  
  
Nagisa turned pink, elbowing Karma in the side when he laughed.  
  
“Shut up,” the bluenette sputtered. “A-anyway, how did you figure out how to mogrify so quickly? You couldn’t possibly have learnt in the time it took for me to go behind the couch…”  
  
“Hm? Ah, that.” Karma smirked. “Oh, yeah, I didn’t. I learnt how to do it weeks ago.”


	7. Disguise Time

“Come along!”  
  
Nagisa just about jumped out of his skin when the brown-skinned gnome prodded him in the back, spinning around to see his teacher poking his stubby white cane in the direction of the twisted black gates leading to the revered Blue Forest. Students were forbidden from entering for the most part, but today the students of both Schools were beginning their first lessons in Surviving Fairy Tales, taught by a four-foot gnome called Yuba, who always wore a green coat and a pointy orange hat.  
  
“This forest,” Yuba had explained on their way over here, “was created as a training ground for the Woods Beyond. In my class, you will learn how to cope with all the fairytale basics, and that includes the Woods themselves. If you can’t survive the _Woods_ , you won’t even be able to begin your fairytales after you leave, so pay attention. The Woods are home to an assortment of unfriendly creatures, such as imps and wild boar. The spiders in the north are quite cranky as well, and I believe the west is home to a specie of man-eating tulip…”  
  
Yuba droned on as they walked, but his students were no longer paying attention.  
  
All they could do was _stare_.  
  
The garden looked like something out of a fairytale--which was, in retrospect, not entirely surprising. Everything, down to the last blade of grass, shimmered in a different shade of blue. Sunlight danced through the aquamarine leaves hanging from cerulean trees, blueberries sprouted from sky-blue bushes, navy water reeds rose out of an azure pond.  
  
Nagisa had a vaguely disconcerting feeling that he could _very easily_ get lost amongst all the blue.  
  
He was grateful to have Karma close by his side, one hand permanently on the bluenette’s shoulder, which he proceeded to shake violently whenever he spotted something cool.  
  
Which was often, because the monochromatic color scheme was not the only fascinating thing about the Blue Forest.  
  
Unlike the Woods Beyond, which were dark and forbidding and often associated with death, this forest was bright and beautiful and so full of _life._  
  
Hummingbirds the color of plums flitted around the bluebells, whizzing past the ivory storks dipping into the glittering beryl water. Deer slipped past the awe-struck Evers and Nevers, disappearing behind cobalt tree-trunks, while squirrels scampered along the branches, carrying lilac acorns. Just beyond the pond, a flock of stymphs were curled up in their indigo nests, watching the students with half-lidded eyes. At least, Nagisa was sure that they _would_ have, if they _had_ any eyes.  
  
Yuba led the group into a clearing and settled himself on a teal tree stump, firmly prodding his cane into the ground.  
  
“For our first challenge,” the gnome announced, “we are going to learn how to distinguish between Good and Evil.”  
  
The students tittered, casting each other appraising glances.  
  
Evers slowly tracked their eyes up and down the Nevers’ baggy, shapeless uniforms.  
  
Nevers took in the Evers’ too-bright teeth and perfectly shampooed hair.  
  
United in the moment, students from both Schools doubled over laughing.  
  
Yuba stood up on the stump, waving his cane. “Quiet! This isn’t going to be easy.”  
  
The gnome hopped off the stump and weaved through the crowd, splitting the group firmly into Evers and Nevers.  
  
“I am going to disguise a student from each side. Your task will be to identify each as Ever and Never, by observing their behavior alone.”  
  
The students quieted.  
  
“Now, there are five rules that separate Good from Evil.” Yuba lifted his staff and began to write in the air with smoky letters.  
  
_The Evil attack. The Good defend._  
  
The Evil punish. The Good forgive.  
  
The Evil hurt. The Good help.  
  
The Evil take. The Good give.  
  
The Evil hate. The good love.  
  
All around, Evers and Nevers alike nodded approvingly.  
  
Nagisa felt something twist in his stomach.  
  
_Punish? Hate?_  
  
It didn’t make sense to him. No one could possibly be _only_ made up of hatred, no one could possibly live only to hurt others. And, surely, no one could possibly be expected to _always_ give, to _always_ forgive and forget.  
  
After all, the Evers who grew to become fairytales didn’t exactly send their Villains home with a basket of cookies and a sweet little _I forgive you._  
  
And who’s to say that Nevers can’t love?  
  
Nagisa felt a slight squeeze on his shoulder, and turned to see Karma giving him that look, the look he’d grown very accustomed to recently.  
  
The look that told him to stop being such a tragic little antihero and get on with life.  
  
Nagisa knew that’s what it meant because the first time Karma had looked at him that way, that’s exactly what he had said.  
  
It wasn’t the sweetest of messages, or the gentlest, but it turned out to be just what Nagisa needed to perk up and, as Karma said, _get on with life._  
  
The bluenette shot his friend a grateful smile and then nearly jumped out of his skin _again_ as the gnarled white cane was jammed into his back _again._  
  
“Nagisa,” Yuba announced. “And… let’s see… Okuda. You two will go first.” He ushered them to the front, spinning back around to scan the waiting students. “And… Karma. Karma, you will have to distinguish between them.”  
  
Nagisa blanched.  
  
For a moment, he wondered who Karma would choose.  
  
Then he wondered why the thought of the redhead choosing Okuda made that awful twist in his stomach return will full force.  
  
Karma weaved his way to the front, and with a flick of Yuba’s hand, a green blindfold covered his golden eyes. The gnome returned to Nagisa and Okuda, lifting his scarf.  
  
Nagisa felt a warm tingling in his toes, and then heat seared through his body and the world flashed white.  
  
When the light cleared, Nagisa blinked blearily at his counterpart, and nearly fell over in shock.  
  
The small, dark-haired Evergirl was now a small, dark-furred cat. He looked down at himself and realized that they were completely identical. Okuda blinked slowly at him, letting out a plaintive meow. Meanwhile, Karma was pulling off his blindfold, taking in the scene before him.  
  
Okuda had settled down now, and was sitting on her haunches, eyes cast on the ground. She’d always been shy, Nagisa recalled, and had a special talent for potions.  
  
Nagisa knew the rules.  
  
Evil _attacks_. Evil _hurts._  
  
But, try as he might, the bluenette simply couldn’t bring himself to attack the fluffy, frail-looking cat before him, who was now watching him with mournful eyes.  
  
Nagisa sat down.  
  
Yuba sighed heavily. “This is what I get for choosing the two most passive students in the Schools…” He looked at Karma, who was smirking amusedly at the two cats. “All right, Karma, since you can’t observe their behavior,” he paused to glare at the cats. “You’ll have to use your heart.”  
  
Karma blinked. “What.”  
  
“Close your eyes and let your heart take you to whoever has the stronger pull of Goodness.”  
  
Karma glanced between the two cats, then closed his eyes and took and breath. Nagisa could see the concentration written across his face, and both he and Okuda watched with interest as he slowly walked closer. Nagisa’s new cat tail twitched nervously.  
  
Whoever Karma chose, Nagisa knew that things would never be the same.  
  
The Everboy’s eyes opened, and he turned…  
  
Karma walked to Okuda’s side.  
  
“This one… I think. This one’s Good.”  
  
Yuba beamed. “Very good, Karma!” He clapped his hands together, and Nagisa and Okuda returned to human form. The two friends regarded each other for a long moment, and then the sharp clang of bells rang through the forest, and Yuba growled.  
  
“Curse that blasted dog and his surprise assemblies!” He weaved through the crowd and started back into the trees. “Come along, students. I’m afraid we’ll have to continue this next lesson.”  
  
Nagisa hid himself among the throng, slowly slipping to the back as they walked, but Karma was already back there, waiting for him.  
  
It was time like this that Nagisa wished his best friend didn’t know him quite so well.  
  
“Nagisa-”  
  
“I’m fine,” Nagisa cut him off. “Really. I’m okay. It’s okay. We’re okay.”  
  
Karma looked relieved, shooting the bluenette a grin, and lifted an arm. For a moment, Nagisa thought the redhead would sling it over his shoulders, as he always did when they walked together, but his friend hesitated, lowering his eyes, and slid his hand into his pocket instead. Nagisa looked away, unsure of whether or not he was happy about this.  
  
They walked back to the Schools in silence.  
  
If Nagisa had looked, he might have seen the frown darkening Karma’s usually carefree face.  
  
If Karma had looked, he might have seen the worry written across Nagisa’s face, or the tears in his eyes he was trying very hard to pretend weren’t there.  
  
But neither did.


	8. Karmagisa Time

Nagisa’s final words, dripping with venom, rang through the courtyard. All eyes were fixed on the two boys whose friendship somehow transcended schools, who were currently glaring daggers at each other. From the Evil side, a solitary _ooh_ rose, and quickly fizzled out when no one joined in.  
  
Someone mogrified into a cricket and began chirping.  
  
In the distance, a bell rang, signalling the end of lunch. No one moved.  
  
At long last, Karma and Nagisa spun away from each other and stormed back to their schools. Their classmates rose and followed, giving them a wide berth.  
  
  
  
Karma’s next lesson was in swordfighting. He kicked the door open and strode into the classroom, the other Everboys filing silently in behind him.  
  
Tadaomi Karasuma looked up from his desk, taking in the fuming redhead.  
  
He smiled.  
  
“Today, class, we are going to learn how to fight when you are alone against a group, each person with a sword. Because it’s your first time, I’ll sort you into pairs.” He scanned the classroom. “Okay…everyone on this side, you will go first. Let’s have… Karma and Sugino, versus the rest of you.”  
  
Karma and Sugino’s group stood, and the two boys were quickly surrounded. Sugino pulled out his sword, and Karma pushed him forward.  
  
“Go with them.”  
  
Sugino frowned, confused. “What? But… Karasuma said…”  
  
“Go. I can do it myself,” Karma snapped.  
  
Sugino glanced at Karasuma, who was watching with interest. The defense teacher nodded, and Sugino joined the other boys, who began an advance on Karma.  
  
For a long moment, Karma didn’t move.  
  
The Everboys drew closer, closer, and closer still, but the redhead did not move and inch.  
  
And then, in a flash, his arm flew to his side, and Sugino saw a flash of steel before his hand was suddenly throbbing and his sword was in the air. Gasps came from the onlookers as two more swords plunged into the ground, and Isogai and Maehara stood stock still, staring at each other and then at Karma with rapidly-widening eyes.  
  
Karma’s eyes were still fixed firmly on the floor, sword by his side.  
  
An Everboy called Brian stepped forward, and Karma’s eyes flicked up.  
  
Another flash of steel had his sword halfway across the room before he could blink. The remaining six boys circled Karma, rushing towards him in unison, and Karma whipped around, practically dancing through the crowd, sword spinning in all directions until all six Everboys were slumped on the floor, staring dejectedly at each other.  
  
“Well,” Karasuma said at last. “Perhaps pairs are not necessary after all.”  
  
Karma sheathed his sword, turned away from his classmates, and walked out the door.  
  
  
  
In the other school, students and teachers alike gave Nagisa strange looks as he walked, the grass beneath his feet blackening and shrinking away from his steps.  
  
He, too, had a fighting-centric lesson coming up, and the Nevers trailing behind him were quite upsettingly reminded of the fact that _they_ would be fighting with him.  
  
The moment Nagisa entered a one-meter radius of the classroom door, it exploded into smithereens, leaving a Nagisa-sized opening for the bluenette to walk through.  
  
Nagisa stood in the center of the room, shoulders slumped, calmly observing the floor.  
  
Lady Lesso looked up.  
  
Took in her students.  
  
Smirked.  
  
“All right, everybody.” She stood, clapping her hands together. “Change of plans. Today, we won’t be practicing attack by mogrification. Instead, we’ll focus on attack and defense between an individual and a large group.” Her violet eyes sparkled. “First up, Nagisa versus the rest of you.”  
  
Nakamura glanced dubiously at Nagisa. “Lady Lesso… isn’t that a little… how can we expect one person to defend against all of us?”  
  
Lady Lesso smiled knowingly. “My dear, I never said just _who_ would be defending against _whom_.”  
  
The Nevers exchanged uneasy glances.  
  
“Weapons at the ready… _begin_!”  
  
The Nevers rushed at Nagisa, brandishing a variety of weapons. Some carried daggers, others whips. Some mogrified into animals, and others still relied on their glowing pinkies to work the magic.  
  
None of this mattered.  
  
As the Nevers approached, a wave of black rolled off of the bluenette, crashing into the fastest runners. The rest drew back, eyeing him warily. Nagisa turned to face them, smiling placidly as his hand slowly lifted into the air, pinkie glowing pitch black, a drastic change from his usual soft blue.  
  
Nagisa blinked, and bolts of black lightning shot out of his fingertip, hitting several Nevers right in the chest. The other gritted their teeth and swarmed forward, instinctively moving the best fighters to the back, out of harm’s way.  
  
But not, as it happened, out of Nagisa’s way.  
  
Within moments, a blue-black cloud had enveloped the crowd of Nevers, obscuring them from Lady Lesso’s vision. When the black cleared, for a moment it looked as though only Nagisa remained, standing very still and surveying the damage.  
  
After a moment, _the damage_ itself became evident-- the rest of the Nevers were splayed out of the floor, coated in a fine black powder. That, combined with their baggy black uniforms, blended with the black floor, caused them to almost blend into the floor.  
  
The fallen Nevers slowly pushed themselves off the ground, groaning loudly. One by one, they turned to him, and Nagisa saw respect in their eyes.  
  
Nagisa’s pinkie was still glowing, despite the fact that the fight had already ended, and it was still black.  
  
Yes, there was respect in his classmates’ eyes.  
  
Respect… and fear.  
  
Nagisa began to shake. He’d had his bad days, and he could be pretty scary if he wanted to, but never… never had he wiped out an entire class of Nevers with so little effort.  
  
Never had he seen _fear_ in the eyes of these children of great fairytale villains, let alone fear of _him_.  
  
Never had his pinkie kept on glowing for so long after a fight, and a color so classically representative of _evil…_  
  
Nagisa spun on his heel and fled.  
  
  
  
Karma walked across the bridge, eyes on the ground, thoughts flitting like hummingbirds through his head. He came to an abrupt halt halfway between schools when the barrier rippled through the air in front of him, blocking his path. A hologram of himself stood before him, arms crossed.  
  
“Go back to your own school,” it commanded.  
  
Karma let out a brief sigh. He was too annoyed to deal with this right now. “No.”  
  
Hologram-Karma frowned. “No?”  
  
“What makes you think I shouldn’t be in Evil anyway?” Karma continued, ignoring the hologram, which straightened and smirked, pleased with the question.  
  
“Because you’re an Ever, chosen for the School for Good.”  
  
Karma raised an eyebrow. “Today I made a joke about my best friend’s feminine appearance, despite knowing about his mother and his life and knowing that that’s the _one_ thing he gets really sensitive about, and then I was too proud to apologize, and only got into an even _worse_ argument with him, and _then_ I took out my frustration on my classmates--”  
  
“That was a sword fighting lesson, so you can be excused,” his hologram pointed out.  
  
“I could easily have knocked their swords away, but I chose to aim for their hands, because I was upset and wanted to see someone else suffer.”  
  
His reflection still looked skeptical. “Well, everyone has bad days…”  
  
“Oh, and did I mention that this is the same best friend whom I have lustful gay thoughts about practically all the time, and I am now headed over to his school to talk to him, completely disregarding the fact that he’s probably in a class right now, just so that I can confess to him, even though it’s really bad timing and I was a total asshole earlier, because I’m just relying on the fact that he can never hold a grudge against me.”  
  
There was a prolonged, rather awkward silence, and then Karma’s hologram smirked again.  
  
“I don’t know if you’re Evil, but you have _issues_.”  
  
Karma smiled. “Yeah, and you’re me, meaning we both have issues. So if we want those issues to get solved… or completely blow up in our faces, depending on how Nagisa reacts… then you know what you need to do.”  
  
The hologram sighed heavily. “ _Definitely Evil._ ”  
  
The barrier dropped, and Karma stepped into the official territory of the School for Evil.  
  
He made it approximately fifteen steps before a figure slightly shorter than himself barreled into him, wrapping its arms around his middle.  
  
Karma blinked down at the figure, utterly bemused.  
  
“...Nagisa?”  
  
“ _Karma_.” The Neverboy was shaking, holding onto his friend so tightly Karma thought his blood circulation might get cut off. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’m sorry I overreacted I shouldn’t have it was just a joke I know you didn’t mean it I’m sorry I’m sorry so so sorry please let’s not fight!”  
  
Karma stared at him. “...What? No, it was my fault anyway, you don’t need to apolo- Nagisa, are you crying?” Karna set his hands on his friend’s shoulders, pushing him back. “What happened?”  
  
Nagisa took a breath. “I defeated _everyone_ in my class without even _moving_ and I exploded a door with my _mind_ not even on purpose and my finger was glowing _black_ even when I wasn’t fighting and the grass _withered_ when I walked and my classmates looked _scared_ of me.”  
  
Some part of him longed for his friend to wipe his tears, smile that trademark cocky smile, and assure him that no one in their right mind could possibly be afraid of _him_.  
  
But Karma was frowning now, studying him thoughtfully.  
  
Nagisa’s heart dropped to his feet.  
  
Karma noticed the shift in his friend’s face, and quickly flashed what he hoped was a reassuring smile.  
  
“Nagisa, can I see your hand?”  
  
Nagisa nodded slowly, holding up his right hand, which Karma took, running his fingers over Nagisa’s.  
  
“Look, it’s back to normal. You can stop freaking out now.”  
  
It was true. Nagisa almost laughed out loud and the ridiculousness of it all.  
  
One meeting with Karma, and his magic had turned black and uncontrollable.  
  
Another meeting, and it was back to usual, save for the palest hint of blue.  
  
He didn’t know how or why, but somehow it seemed that Karma controlled whether or not Nagisa surrendered to the Pure Evil that even the most villainous Nevers were more than happy to avoid.  
  
Looking at their hands clasped together, one thought cut through the hysteric haze clouding Nagisa’s mind.  
  
Acting on impulse, he bobbed up on his toes, wrapped his hands around Karma’s collar, and kissed his best friend.  
  
Karma froze.  
  
_What._  
  
Feeling Karma tense, Nagisa rapidly pulled away.  
  
“S-sorry, I-”  
  
“Nagisa.”  
  
Nagisa stopped, surprised by the sincerity in his voice.  
  
Karma was looking at him with the same thoughtful expression from earlier. “You’re really scared, aren’t you?”  
  
Nagisa’s eyes dropped to his shoes, but Karma lifted his head, forcing the bluenette to look him in the eye until Nagisa relented.  
  
“Am I… am I Evil?” Nagisa whispered, regretting it the moment is was out of his mouth.  
  
“No.” Karma’s voice was firm and unwavering, leaving no room for argument.  
  
Nagisa argued anyway. “How? I’m a Never, and you didn’t see what I _did_ today. How can you be so sure?”  
  
Karma paused. Nagisa’s could practically see his mind whirring, searching for a way to explain his thoughts. And then his eyes lit up, and he grinned.  
  
“This how I know.”  
  
Karma closed the distance between them, and the world fell away.  
  
When at last Karma pulled away, Nagisa stood very still, trying to work out why the world was spinning.  
  
“Aha, if you could _see_ your face right now~”  
  
The world snapped back into focus. Karma was smirking teasingly at the bluenette. “Your face is _so_ red~”  
  
Nagisa turned even redder. “Sh-shut up!”  
  
He swung a fist at Karma, who ducked, still laughing, and danced back to his side. The barrier rippled between them.  
  
Karma smiled, honestly this time. “Been meaning to do that for a while. Thanks for giving me the perfect opportunity.”  
  
Nagisa’s mouth opened, closed, and opened again as he tried to process this information. But Karma was already walking back across the bridge.  
  
“See ya, Nagisa~”  
  
“See ya,” Nagisa echoed weakly.  
  
When he walked back to his school, the withered grass beneath his feet bloomed into a garden that could rival the Evers’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Freaking FINALLY  
> I swear, I have been waiting SO LONG for this, and then when I finally posted it MY INTERNET STOPPED WORKING and I had to do the entire thing again, but it's FINALLY UP so yay~


	9. Karma Being an Endearing Lil Shit Time

Nagisa slumped against the tree--his tree, his and Karma’s-- and let out a small huff of annoyance. He loved Karma, had always loved him, be it as a friend or as… whatever it was they were now… but really, sometimes he could be _so irritating._  
  
Nagisa opened up a book and skimmed through the words, making it about a chapter before realizing that he hadn’t read a word. He growled, slamming it shut. Stupid Karma… now he couldn’t even _read_ his frustration away.  
  
Speaking of…  
  
Where was Karma?  
  
As if on cue, a fluffy red tail appeared by Nagisa’s left side, disappearing behind the tree the moment he turned to look at it. Nagisa closed his eyes.  
  
_Nope. Not today._  
  
A moment later, he felt a pressure on his crossed legs, and opened his eyes to see that a cute red fox was stood on his lap, its front paws pressing against his chest. The fox barked plaintively, regarding him with eyes that were sparkling more than Edward Cullen on a hot summer day.  
  
“Go away.”  
  
The fox didn’t budge. It stared at him, long and hard, and Nagisa had the disconcerting feeling that it was staring right into his soul. Once again, he shut his eyes, counting backwards from twenty in his head.  
  
_20.. 19...18...keep it cool...17...16...if you kill him, you’ll forever regret it… 15...14…_  
  
Suddenly, he felt something warm and suspiciously wet on his nose.  
  
Nagisa’s eyes snapped open, and then proceeded to widen to double their usual size.  
  
The fox was _licking his face_ , much like a puppy trying to _cute_ its owner into forgiving it for ripping up the furniture.  
  
And as much as it hurt Nagisa’s pride to admit it… it was kind of working.  
  
“S-stop it,” he sputtered, trying in vain to hold back the laugh bubbling inside him. “Karma, no, _stop_ , pfft, haha, that is so… that is so _disgusting_ , why would you _ever_?”  
  
The fox heeded his complaints and resumed its previous stance, its golden eyes once again penetrating the depths of the bluenette’s soul.  
  
Nagisa sighed, wiping his face. “Okay, okay, _fine_. I forgive you.”  
  
The fox beamed and hopped off his lap, electing instead to curl up by his side. Nagisa picked his book up with one hand, resting the other on the soft red fur on the fox’s head.  
“You’re an idiot, you know that?” He murmured, pleased to find that he could once again concentrate on his book. A low vibration spread through his hand as the fox produced whatever was the fox equivalent of a purr.  
  
“I know,” it said, in perfect human english. “But you love me anyway.”


End file.
